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by Raimundo Urrechaga
HAVANA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- One year after re-establishing diplomatic relations, Cuba and the U.S. still face many challenges, especially as ongoing mistrust between both governments has led to limited results in the last 12 months.
Out in the streets of Havana, Cubans have remained very cautiously optimistic, after both nations formally reestablished diplomatic ties on July 20, 2015, after five decades of enmity.
The U.S. economic embargo on the island country remains in place and constitutes a major obstacle for the normalization of ties, something the majority of Cubans demand as a necessary step for normalized links with Washington.
"I think there should be a faster approach to discuss economic and financial restrictive policies that the U.S. has imposed against Cuba as well as other issues like the return of the Guantanamo Naval Base," Jesus Gancedo, a Cuban private worker, told Xinhua.
Although U.S. President Barack Obama has issued several executive measures loosening up parts of the blockade, many of them have not yet been adopted while Havana claims the blockade makes it impossible to normalize economic ties.
Despite these executive measures, Obama has failed to persuade U.S. Congress controlled by his Republican opponents to lift it.
"If these topics are not discussed in greater depth and responsibility, this rapprochement will not mean much for our country," added Gancedo, who runs a private cell phone repair shop in western Havana.
However, many Cubans still believe ties with the U.S. will bring economic benefits to the island, including much needed investment and tourism, albeit slowly.
In return, Havana is also demanding that emblematic goods such as rum, cigars, pharmaceutical and biotechnological products be allowed to enter the U.S. market.
"So far, everything is the same but I guess something will change. If both countries decided to normalize relations, something has to happen. After many years without links, something new must materialize between Cuba and the U.S.," Paloma Palmes, a 20 year-old college student, told Xinhua.
Over the last year, Washington has allowed certain companies to do business with the Cuban government in areas like tourism, agriculture and telecommunications. However the vast majority of them are still awaiting the end of the embargo to be totally lifted in order to engage deeper.
Carnival cruise ships now sail from Miami to Havana, travelers can stay at the Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Havana, and regular commercial flights between the two countries are due to begin in the fall.
"Relations are going slowly but we can see certain steps have been taken to establish a broader and productive relationship for both countries," Francisco Grass, a retired worker, told Xinhua.
"I think there has been progress between both nations. However, many laws and measures that dictate the actual relation must be suppressed or eliminated in order to have more communication and understanding," said Jose Cardenas, a Cuban state employee..
Young Cubans believe this new era with Washington could bring more development, particularly with greater Internet access which is limited throughout the island.
"We have been separated for a long time. But now, with this relationship we should be able to buy more goods and have greater Internet access, we cannot be isolated from the rest of the world," said Daniel Bermudez, a young Cuban worker. Enditem
